By DORIS COOK - Staff Writer
Star Beacon
May 03, 2008 01:03 am
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CHARDON — After waiving his right for an attorney, Ervin Byler, 37, of Middlefield Township, pleaded no contest Friday in Chardon Municipal Court to a charge of sexual imposition. Byler appeared before Judge Mark Hassett on the third degree misdemeanor charge.
Hassett accepted the plea, then sentenced the defendant. The judge set a $250 fine and suspended 59 days of a 60-day jail sentence on Byler. He actually spent one night in jail for the offense and was placed on a one year probation by the judge.
Byler was arrested Thursday by Middlefield police. Byler was identified by a the 23-year-old Trumbull County woman he attacked along a buggy path north of the village.
The woman was walking her dog when Byler walked out of the woods near the path’s covered bridge over Tare Creek. The man grabbed her clothing and insisted on talking to her. The woman’s dog jumped on Byler’s chest scratching him as she told the man to go away.
He continued following her as she returned to her parked car on Tare Creek Parkway, a by-pass road off Route 608 in the village. The woman reported the incident when she saw a village police officer drive by.
The buggy path is used as a recreation trail. It is also used by area Amish driving buggies for a short cut into the village.
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